Jane Weaver
Watchbird Alluminate
Demdike Stare, The Focus Group, Anworth Kirk, Susan Christie and Samandtheplants, among others, rework songs from Jane Weaver's 'Fallen By The Watch Bird' LP, pressed up on this beautiful vinyl edition for the Finders Keepers affiliated Bird imprint. Taking influences from Eastern European children's cinema, Germanic kunstmärchen, 70s television music and early murmurs of 80s synth-pop, the album is described by the label as a "new conceptual pop project featuring cosmic aquatic folklore" - and the source material is here handed over to a suitably cosmic cast of characters. Demdike Stare open proceedings with their first ever remix - an extended and engrossing revision of 'Europium Alluminate', shapeshifting Jane's vocals into a sustained breath of glooming haar rolling down over pulsing bass and submerged, mechanical rhythms sounding like the echos of overworked mill machinery. Working in the background of Susan Christie's recital of poetry by Michael Hill, Focus Group give 'A Circle And A Star Part 1' a droning backdrop, while Anworth Kirk unfurl a tenderly psyched collage of folksy detritus, fuzzed guitar and languorous drums for 'Noctilumina'. With Emma Tricca, Wendy FLower, Magpahi and Susan Christie all making further contributions, the album runs like a slightly smudged fairytale, replicating the sense of wonder portrayed on that suitably ethereal cover image.
Tracklist
1. Europium Alluminate with Demdike Stare
2. A Circle And A Star Part 1 with The Focus Group and Susan Christie
3. The Fallen By Watchbird Video Mix
4. Turning In Circles (by Emma Tricca)
5. Majic Milk
6. Whispers Of Winter with Wendy Flower
7. Noctilmina with Anworth Kirk
8. My Soul Was Lost, My Soul Was Lost And No-One Saved Me (by Magpahi)
9. Silver Chord with Samandtheplants
10. A Circle And A Star Part 2 with The Focus Group and Susan Christie